Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Snow White & the Six

I guess I'm feeling my age. If I back track to the weekend, it all started there. The beginning of the run down, a perfect mixture for a virus to sneak up and bug me. Sore throat, runny nose, achy muscles, and the most fun, sinus headache.
Saturday, Katie, Danika, Rob and I went to the pool and got in our daily dozen. That's the problem. I'm not consistent with my work out routine. I swim maybe once a week, and jog twice a week. I tell myself that I'll do strength training on the other days, but I don't. I'm too lazy. There is plenty more to occupy my time.

Rob and I decided we need to clean up the basement and set up a new room for Paul when he comes home for holidays. I had just been in what we call the 'cellar.' It is the unfinished part of our basement where we keep stuff we may need, or don't know what to do with yet. It was a disaster, and I started crying. I think I was the last one to go through and give it a thorough cleaning. I've done that with the garage and most recent, Beth's room. Once I start, I can't stop. I'm not always pleasant either. No whistle while you work. More like, spitting nails, and breathing fire.

Sunday at church, I prayed about this. It was the only way I'd get through the closet in Mark's old room without having a meltdown.

Monday, armed with 1/2 a can of paint, a vacuum cleaner, rags, and paint splattered jeans, I got to work. I was so excited that Rob gave me 1/2 the day off to get stuff done around the house. I was a woman with a mission, blaring Pandora radio while the kids were at school.

The wall was a shocking orange color. Mark thought he'd like it. The only thing that coordinated was a Jimi Hendrix poster. Too creepy. The rock star died of a drug overdose. Not exactly a role model for our teenage son.
Danika has since moved into Paul's old room and we knew that may cause some problems at Thanksgiving. I covered the orange with the same 'Festive Moss' adorning the other room, just one wall... It's cool.

I tore through the closet like a white tornado. I'm not kidding, a whole laundry basket of mismatched socks decorated the floor. Old yellowed shrunken t-shirts that no one will wear are now in the trash. Rumpled blankets and sheets are now laundered and folded neatly on the shelves. I even hung up a poster of the Brooklyn Bridge on a spacious wall inside the closet. For an extra measure of organizing grace, I included a plaque with calligraphic Bible verses and hung it up over the ties and belts. I must say, it is a work of art, that closet.

I've come down with the crud and been sick for two days. That room I'm thinking was toxic.

As I rolled the paint on the drywall, covering the last specks of orange, I came up with a facebook post.

Hi, my name is Snow White. I love, care, and clean up after six dwarves. Their names are, 'Sticky', 'Smelly', 'Sloppy', 'Dusty', 'Messy', and 'Filthy.'